Ipsa, At Non Sola
by inceptanova
Summary: Cecile Paquerette is a Slytherin pureblood. She is soon going to realize that friends can be found in the strangest places. Slight AU. Harry with a Twin. Discontinued.


**Diclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter Franchise. Just sayin'.**

Somewhere in Wizarding Britain, a funeral is taking place. A beautiful black–haired woman is attempting to retain her composure.

And failing.

Her fiancée is dead, her _Regulus_ is dead. And Sirius wouldn't even come to his own brother's funeral. She knelt on the grass amongst the dead, and thought of his dark curls, obstructing the view of smoldering ash grey eyes.

It was a horrible, sad day for Marguerite Paquerette.

Then she learned she was pregnant.

* * *

**May 12th, 1980**

It was born. Marguerite saw the small, bundle of Black likeness and wept. She didn't want to name her.

But she did. Little Cecile. Cecile Paquerette.

A black mop of curls made her nostalgically smile at her the memory of Regulus' forever untamable curls. But then Cecile opened her young, wide eyes, revealing a hazel that made Marguerite almost drop the newborn in surprise.

She cowered in fear while the Healers tried to soothe her. But she didn't see a sweet, innocent child. She only saw _him _advancing on her. Whispers calm yet sickening, stings as he smacked her.

It took her a week to look at Cecile. To look at her and not fear her.

* * *

**August 3, 1985**

Walburga Black's eyes opened to the noise that was rain. She frowned. She'd never liked rain. She sighed and looked to her left to see Marguerite Paquerette seated next to her, holding her hand, asleep.

She gave a stern glare to Marguerite. The past nymphet looked up at her with teary eyes. She was seated in a blue velvet upholstered lion head chair pulled across the cold hardwood floors of the master bedroom to the large deep green canopy bed where the current Head of the Most Noble House of Black lay, racked with fever. Added with her old age, even Walburga knew she wasn't going to last long.

"Madam, you're awake how are yo-" Her voice was cracked and frail.

"Please, I am no Madam." Her voice was stern, but her eyes smiled. Marguerite looked surprised, and then she smirked.

"Sorry." A pop sounded the room and the girl's attention drifted to the House Elf bowing to the women.

"Mistress, sorry to be botherings you, but Mistress Marguerite must attend your will reading." The girl was surprised and a shocked expression crossed her face as she whipped her head back to the older woman.

"B-but you're not dead!" stumbled from the French girl's mouth.

"But I will be soon, and you know that." She gestured to the decorated porcelain cup that sat on the bedside table and the flustered Beauxbatons graduate fumbled to hand her senior the cup of Lady Grey with pale, quivering hands.

"Bu-But you... Even the Ritual? Bu- I… "

"Go."

"Y-You, said-"But the woman's stern glare, used on children and husbands alike, silenced the 20-year old.

Marguerite knew she had to go. Cecile was most likely getting restless in the old sitting room, bored with pretending to be Morgan Le Fay.

That was the last time Marguerite saw Walburga outside a coffin.

* * *

**July 30th 1989 (Marguerite's POV first person)**

A large 'joint' (Some strange Muggle term) party was held in honor of Neville Longbottom's, Henry 'Harry' Potter's and his sister Haleigh's 9th birthday. I, Marguerite Paquerette, esteemed French pureblood, was subjected to infuriating giggles of my annoying companions.

"We had _so_ much trouble coming up with Daffy's name!" Lily Potter exclaimed to Alice and I we of course had taken the kitchen nook in the Longbottom Mansion for ourselves with a perfect view of the area the children played in, near the garden/ courtyard (whilst everyone else mingled in the courtyard and the main ballroom before the main event).

"Same with Nev! I thought, 'maybe Markus or Jacob' but _Frank_ gave into Augusta and we named him Neville! _Neville!_ "Alice Longbottom, as I noticed, was a rude, outgoing woman with a rather dark outlook on life, well, mostly just Dark wizards. No wonder she was an Auror. That way she can rid our world of the _tewwible, __**dawk**_ wizards.

"What about you, Marguerite?" asked Lily, obviously pressing to find out more about me. Was I _that_ mysterious? Ah, well, what can you do?

"Cecile was named after her great-grandmother. Her name means blind, but I have a feeling she'll be very open-minded. "

"Does she have a middle name? I made Haleigh's Daffodil, since I wanted a flower name."

"Her middle name is no concern to you, I'd think."

"Oh, um yes, well," Lily was flustered to find the words but she didn't have to, as James , her husband, stuck his head in the door.

"Hon, the presents are out and it's time for the cake."

"Oh, okay, c'mon Alice, Marguer-" I got up immediately, a walked out of the kitchen into the ballroom. I smiled. Cecile could be seen grinning and standing next to the Longbottom Heir, a gleam in her eyes as she said something, making Neville blush and stammer a reply, to which she giggled at, making him blush even more.

I could smell Augusta before she saw her. She reeked of lavender perfume that she put to much of on. The old woman had slunk over to the wall where I was standing. Walburga had said I'd have to get used to being approached about Arranged marriages for Cecile. She and her husband (or wife, purebloods don't care as long as there's an heir) would be the heirs of the house of Black.

"You daughter seems to get along well with my Neville."

"Perhaps. Are asking for an Arrangement, Augusta?" I loved being overly familiar with my superiors.

"No, no. Just a… a suggestion." She gave me a rather pointed look, as if to say that it wasn't a suggestion at all.

"The Black and Longbottom families united?" I tried to make it a curious tone.

The old woman merely smiled and walked away.

* * *

**August 24th, 1990**

**_Hi, it's Cecile again. I'm going to Hogwarts in a year (But I really want to go to Beauxbatons with my family). I want to go visit my relatives, but I can't go because they are in Marseilles, while we are stuck here in boring, cold, dingy, gray London. I have to attend Etiquette classes held by some old pureblood witch who's full of herself and is too giggly. I .Hate. Giggly. People. I mean dislike. Mama's says strong words are unbecoming of a young lady. Monique has been sending me letters about Beauxbatons, but mama has been telling me stories from the year she visited Hogwarts. She even has pictures. I am convinced that Hoqwarts is a disgusting, grimy, old rat-infested castle, while it's common knowlodge that Beauxbatons Palace is beautiful and cleaned regularly._**

**_But mama says I'll make alot of friends at Hogwarts. (I mostly think she wants me to go is because she met Father there and she wants me to meet a proper pureblood for Arrangement). So to prove I have lots of friends, hear is a list. (I'm not counting most of family because they are family.)_**

**_Here are my friends who are girls:_**

**_Monique (She's my cousin)_**

**_Parvati and Padma (They are very smart)_**

**_Pansy (Note: is only nice to friends. Makes for a good ally)_**

**_Haleigh (Yes, THE Haleigh Potter. Met her at a bookstore)_**

**_A blond girl I met at Flourish and Blotts (We talked for awhile and we became good friends. Only after she left did I notice we don't know eachother's names!)_**

**_Boys who I know:_**

**_Neville (He's nice and likes plants)_**

**_Theodore (Smart, and pretty cynical. Says he's a realist. Bah!)_**

**_Harry (Haleigh's famous brother. Met him once, at his birthday party.)_**

**_Draco (Pretty haughty. But his parents are very wealthy so mama might Arrange us.)_**

**__****_That's ten. I don't need anymore. _**

Cecile finished up her secret quill practice/diary entry and placed her well-used quill back down on her desk and checked for a writer's bump. Nothing.

_Good. _

Her quill writing has gotten much better, and she reminded herself to tell her Mother, who she was sure would be pleased. Cecile folded the paper four times and placed it with a pile of similar papers at the bottom of her desk drawer. Cecile covered her mouth while she yawned and climbed into her canopy bed and made sure the ribbon on her nightgown was properly tied, then pulled out an old, worn paperback from under her pillow.

_Encounter with a Vampire__, _her favorite book. It was about a Muggle-Born who, instead of getting a letter from his school on his eleventh, is partially bitten by a vampire. It was from a new author and Cecile was rereading it for the sequel was coming out in time for her birthday. (She did not care at all that her birthday, and the release was _next_ summer.) After finishing the ninth chapter, she fell into a dreamless sleep, which was good because the girl always had nightmares.

Later, she woke to a weight on her bed. Normally, she would have been alarmed, but then the little girl smelt her mother's Egyptian Musk perfume. Not scared anymore, she fluttered her eyes closed, and fell back into darkness.

She dreamed of laying on sugar grass and cream clouds that moved slowly, and flowers that smelt of morning.

It was a good day to be Cecile Paquerette.

* * *

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter/ prolouge! The story will be about Cecile, mostly and Haleigh. Probably. Please comment so I know to continue. :D Note, Pairings VERY eventual and subject to change. Maybe.


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